Your Face Under the Moonlight
by blue raindrop
Summary: **CHAPTER 3 UPLOADED!!**Shuuko's health is slowly waning. Misaki, impelled to find a way to keep her mother, stumbles upon a possible cure. However, for it she must exchange her memories of Oujirou and Hikaru… O/M, S/I
1. Your Problems Are Mine

Disclaimer: Angelic Layer is owned by Clamp. 

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Your Face Under the Moonlight

Chapter One- Your Problems are Mine 

The sound of noisy clamoring in the kitchen made Misaki's pen stop from scribbling. The mere thought of her mother attempting to complete chores in her current state pricked her innocent heart. Her mother's health had been slowly worsening day by day; although Misaki's presence facilitated in keeping her heartbeat beating, no human can avoid the inevitable grasp of death. Moreover, the doctor had discovered that her layer battles and the preliminary training she was "enjoying" had worsened her condition tremendously- more than Misaki could painfully imagine. Misaki fully understood this, and she was determined to extend her mother's life somehow, and was willing to accept any helpful proposals in achieving it. Icchan was, surprisingly, more committed to this goal than herself! He visited her frequently, pushing aside his job almost entirely in his efforts to do so. 

Misaki immediately rushed to assist her mother, a face of worry on her young face. She found her standing on her toes, her long arms reaching up for something inside the kitchen cabinets. Misaki walked up to her, standing beside her in case something happened. "Okaa-san, I have lunch taken care of," she said to her mother calmly. "The doctor said to avoid doing chores around the house…"

Shuuko finally found the plates she had been reaching for. She smiled gently at her daughter, whose eyes looked up at her pleadingly. "I just suddenly had this urge to make you this dish you had always loved as a child," said she, who was evidently in a merry mood. But in reality, she was dissembling her crying soul, crying because of her beautiful child before her, who was soon to be tortured by loneliness once again. She had to endure it once before, when she had abandoned the poor child in order to find a way to walk properly once again, for her. _I want to make the most of it while I still can, with my daughter_, she thought to herself, making larger the smile that she plastered on her thin lips. 

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Icchan left the hospital, heavily saddened. He knew he should have anticipated bad news from Shuuko's doctor, but perversely, he continued to maintain an optimistic attitude about it. As consequence, he left with a more onerous heart than that which he came with earlier. 

"Shuuko-sama has a rare disease that we have yet to find a cure for. Her health is extremely frail to be honest with you. But please, have her keep taking the medication we recommended in addition to more frequent doctor visits," he remembered the doctor explain to him. 

Towards the drive home, he continued to ruminate about his life with Shuuko. Since the last tournament with her daughter, she had avoided closing the emotional gap between him and her. She did allow him to visit her whenever he wished, and had walks together during the afternoons. Looking at her face made him suffer too, because it had a face of agony and kind rejection for the questions that he kept hidden inside his heart. Like why she was subtly refusing his love for her. She seemed to know his thoughts as they flowed inside him, and she would smile sadly to him… and to his wonderful thoughts of marriage. 

He parked his car outside Shoko's house and rang the doorbell. It slowly opened, Misaki's head poking out from the other side. Instantly she pulled open the door. He caught her doleful eyes and he asked if something had happened to Shuuko.

"Okaa-san is doing well. It's just…she seems unusually reserved today," she replied in a low voice. Shuuko's health was dragging her down to heavy sadness as well. 

Icchan nodded, slightly agitated at that news. He pulled something out of his backpack and handed it to her carefully. "I'm really sorry for dropping her in the lake again, Misaki-chan. I finished repairing her so… I tell you she's in better shape than ever! Actually you should thank me for dropping her down the lake!"

Misaki's eyes widened. "Icchan-san! So you _did_ do it on purpose! Poor Hikaru! I didn't know you were after murdering your own children! What kinds of things did you do to her? You had better not 'repaired' her so she can say bad words…or have to use the bathroom or something!"

Icchan put his hands before him in protest. "No, no… that's not what I meant. That reminds me…" He cleared his throat effectively. She looked up from her pitying eyes at her precious doll and blinked at him innocently. "Misaki, I think Oujirou wanted to meet with you somewhere. He wanted to 'brush up' on his skills so he asked me to bring Hikaru with you. See? I saved your love life! I deserve words of gratification for all this stuff I'm doing for a little kid like you. See I could be doing other things like…"

Misaki's face brightened upon hearing Oujirou's name and before Icchan could continue, he watched her stupidly as she ran upstairs to her room to grab something there. Thanking him gaily as she sped past him to leave, he was left there to blink foolishly at the door, which seemed to laugh at him in ridicule. He shook his head and muttered to himself, "A reminder for myself to purposely drop Hikaru down the lake a second time." He entered Shuuko's room, preparing himself for an undulation of rejection that always surrounded her. He found her watching television, her eyes vacant. 

…and that would be a good place to stop. Wrote it while listening to First Love by Hikaru Utada. Tell me what you think. Review pleaaase!! Any suggestions are happilywelcomed by the author. I'm working on two other fics so it might be difficult to update frequently. Bare with me! 

Thanks for reading my fic!


	2. Time's Threats

Disclaimer: Angelic Layer is owned by the talented women of Clamp.

A/N: Thanks YFuML reviewers! I have to admit I took rather long for this chapter, eh? 

Silent Sage- O+M soon, but they have to eease into it. Meanwhile, enjoy this chapter.

Little Rabbit- Here's a new chapter for ya'!

Sakura Avalon- thanks^^ it isn't _that_ good

Nermal- yay, another reviewer! Please take some time to read this chapter.

PikachuFan4288- Thanks for your lovely, constructive critiscism- which I really enjoyed reading. I like long reviews.^^ I took all your good advice, and am now accepting anonymous reviews. Also, I wanted to say that I would love to post new chapters often but it's hard to come up with them. The others are easy to write about, and I particularly like them but this story… This story is ok I guess. 

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Your Face Under the Moonlight

Chapter Two- Time's Threats

Icchan sat quietly beside her, being careful that he didn't sit too close. Shuuko made no indication of acknowledgment, but she knew he was there. She flipped the channels uncomfortably in the awkward silence. He simply sat there, like an invisible ghost. He made no noisy interruptions but merely stared at her from the corner of his eyes. Even now, he could feel himself getting nervous in the presence of such a delicate flower. 

Finally, with her eyes still focusing on the television program, she spoke to him- a voice of a tortured soul. It was like a melancholy song to his ears. "How's your day Icchan-san?"

"Ruined," was his one-word answer. It was ambiguously delivered, so Shuuko didn't understand. Yet she was accustomed to the odd answers he gave her. Thus she received it in a regularly aloof manner. "I must be so amusing to gaze at…" she said, dropping the topic that was going nowhere. His quietness she feared, for such an attitude implied that he was trying to conceal turbulent emotions. 

Icchan cheeks burned at such a random comment. He adjusted his glasses in an attempt to hide it. "I was merely checking for possible signs of drowsiness on your face. You seemed rather down today, is all." He cleared his throat, as he always did when he wished a change of topic. "Uh, so what are we watching?"

"Icchan-san's favorite shows. Look, here comes the girls with bathing suits!" 

Icchan craned his neck towards the television eagerly. "Oh, you're right! Here they come, here they come!" he said, ready for the show. "Aika- yeah, she has a pretty nice figure. She won this contest last week. Her…she's not too bad, and--" he paused instantly when he realized he had just been swayed by women in bathing suits-- in front of Shuuko. With a red face, he struggled to come up with a valid reason for watching such things. Assuming a business-like voice and face, he burst forth lies. "Uh, I mean, you know, we try to come up with different costumes for the angelic dolls, you know. We get a lot of our ideas here. Also, my friend, y-you know, can't watch it so he asks me to watch it for him and tell him who the winners are."

"And sometimes its just fun to watch, ne Icchan-san?" she asked, turning to look at him finally. Icchan's eyes, however, had become engrossed in the screen again. 

"Definitely…" he answered unconsciously, focusing on the new girl dressed in a rather exposing bathing suit. Shuuko giggled, her face slowly brightening into that of a carefree woman. A few seconds had to knock on his brain for him to realize her joking statement. "Sometimes its WHAT?? No, I meant-" he paused when he noticed the rare smile that had bloomed on her lips. He felt an odd flutter in his stomach and felt himself at ease at such a display of gaiety. It was temporary bliss for the both of them, however, when she asked him the dreaded question. 

"What did the doctor say, Icchan-san?" she asked quietly. Her eyes had retained the look of despondency once again. And that was sufficient enough to drag him to her world of dejection.

"Same stuff. He shouldn't get paid for being a robot," Icchan said in contempt. Most of his apathy had risen from the fact that the doctor could do nothing for Shuuko, and he was becoming increasingly bitter toward the man. Icchan truly believed the man concerned himself little over her, probably finding her to be one of his usual patients who weren't going to make it. 

Shuuko felt such waves of contempt reverberating from him, making her shudder. 

Icchan reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder lovingly. "Whatever the doctor says shouldn't matter because I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

His words of reassurance caressed her heart painfully. She knew that he only wished to comfort her, but the knowledge of leaving him and Mitsuki further made the inevitable more agonizing to think about. 

"I promise…" he added softly.

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Misaki hummed euphorically as she walked into the building, her left hand carrying a bundle of things, including Hikaru. Her anticipation of seeing Oujirou made her strides larger. The place hardly had any space reserved for anymore people. Young teenagers, as well as children flocked there daily to train their dolls. 

Everyone turned to look at the top player Misaki pass by, and waved at her in excitement; to her amazement, her popularity among them had not worn off yet. She smiled at them innocently, still not accustomed to the attention she was privileged to receive. A group of jovial kids ran up to her and held their dolls up before her. "Misaki-san, I've modeled our dolls to appear just like yours! One day, I'll grow up to become the top player like you," their cute voices said in harmony. Misaki leaned on her knees and patted their heads, quite flattered by their aspirations. An older girl, supposedly the person responsible for baby-sitting the young kids, held her doll close to her heart- almost selfishly. Misaki's eyes looked up and stared at the hidden doll curiously. Her peculiar behavior compelled her to ask if she could see hers. However, the girl only clutched it closer to her chest, looking at her maliciously. Misaki was able to steal a peek though, as she did so. It was a doll that looked awfully close to Wizard.

"Hikaru isn't the best you know! You were just lucky in all those battles; you won because a whole bunch of people were helping you! You bewitched all of the good players and somehow got them to tell you their secrets," she spat crudely. It was these kinds of jealous people that Misaki encountered at times. However, this girl's rudeness was more intolerable, more nerve-plucking than the others. Misaki sighed and looked at Hikaru as the little children that surrounded her glared at their baby-sitter coldly. 

"Perhaps that's how it happened. I guess we'll find out in the next tournament right?" she replied calmly. Having said that, she rose and left, suppressing the irritation that wished to emerge from within her. 

"You'd better be careful. Next time, _I'll_ be the manipulator. And people will look up at me- even you!" the girl muttered under her breath, a threat that was directed toward Misaki. 

Misaki flinched at such a malevolent statement. She had to admit, the girl was pretty intimidating. But she recollected herself upon spotting Oujirou's figure in a corner. He appeared to be occupied with training Wizard, making it dance to the cheerful music in the background. She cavorted there hastily, and plopped herself to the seat in the opposite end of the field. 

"I was waiting for you," he said to her. 

Misaki looked about her in surprise. "Where's your fanclub? They're usually here, gathered around you."

Oujirou chuckled softly, his hair being blown by some invisible air- at least to Misaki's eyes. "Don't forget they're selling new doll parts today. They're probably in the stores, looking for upgrades or whatnot. Onii-san reserved some for us, so don't worry about it. We can check them out after we train."

Misaki wondered about his sudden desire to train. "Ano…Mihara-san, why are you so consumed with training all of a sudden?"

Silence dawned on him for a few seconds before he gave her a well thought out response. "A person isn't always going to be the best. There's always people who want to reach the top too, but only _if_ you let it happen." He smiled at her warmly, "I want to make our next fight a good one. I still want to beat you, Suzuhara-chan, if that's possible. You had better train too, though; there're a lot of people out there who want to topple you from your position."

Misaki sighed, remembering the belligerent girl she had encountered earlier. "Tell me about it."

Oujirou quickly noticed the despondency in her voice, and he averted his eyes from Wizard to her in worry. "Suzuhara-chan, they didn't threaten you did they? They've done that to me in the past, regardless of who I am."

"You Mihara-san? Really? But you're- you're- how can anyone do that to you? You can stand up to them can't you?" said Misaki in shock. 

"I've defeated them all before, yes, in the battlefield- Wizard against their doll. They don't take it too lightly. But, that's alright. As long as they don't hurt Suzuhara-chan, I'm okay," he said to her, his eyes gazing at her. Misaki's heart quickened from his gentle countenance. Feeling uneasy and self-conscious, she threw Hikaru in the field. 

"W-we probably should start training then, right?" she stuttered, a wonderful blush coloring her cheeks softly. She placed the necessary layer equipment on her head.

"Alright. Battle or training?" he asked from across her, a smile of excitement spreading across his lips. 

"I suppose I'll train Hikaru too," Misaki answered thoughtfully. 

In the layer, Wizard held his hand out towards Hikaru and they began dancing together gracefully, not missing a single beat. 

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Yeah… I didn't like this chapter much either. Of course it's not done yet!! I want to have at least 3-4 more chapters up! Updates will be posted on my profile page once I decide on them. =( So little fics of O+M out there! 

For those who have time, rate this fic so far: scale of 1-10.

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10- excellent or **1-** why did I even click on this stupid story? (Be nice, don't rate my story with a 1. V_V)

Next chapter: Misaki encounters that irritating girl again. Wait- she's got an offer that Misaki won't be able to refuse! But so many conditions to getting it! 


	3. Venomous Remedy

Disclaimer: Angelic Layer is owned by the talented women of Clamp!

A/N: And yet another chapter out for those who are still reading this story. Thanks for those who actually ranked. I love you guys!! The chapter might've been slightly altered from the provided preview from last chapter.

**__**

Your Face Under the Moonlight

By blue raindrop

Chapter Three- Venomous Remedy

Misaki stepped out of the building with Oujirou. The training had engrossed their consciousness so much that they hadn't realized that the afternoon had ran by them swiftly. They were so occupied that they didn't realize they were the last ones to leave!

Twilight had now enveloped the skies, a brilliant hue of velvet blue clear across the horizon. The bright moon watched from its omniscient position calmly, flooding the earth with its white beams. Oujirou, who was looking away pensively from Misaki, now seemed to have his thoughts organized. He turned his head slightly to tell Misaki something, but he found her looking up at the distant ball of white in utter amusement. Her face was illuminated by the pale beams, and the towering tree nearby sprinkled dark shadows on their figures. Such a lovely face made his heart pound unsteadily, compelling him to a sudden desire to kiss her. But Misaki turned to him before he could make the slightest gesture to do so. "It was a lot of fun training with you again. We haven't done it in awhile. I have to admit that it really relieved me from the stress that's been pulling me down lately." She found him gazing down at her again and Misaki's face reddened.

Oujirou's eyes twinkled as he smiled victoriously, "Good, then I was successful after all. You've been worried so much about Shuuko-san lately and I hoped that something else would occupy your thoughts for awhile. I'm really concerned about Shuuko-san's disease but I'm also really concerned about how its affecting you. So I tried not to bring it up this afternoon. "

Misaki slowly inferred that that 'training' was really aimed to get her head out of the dark clouds. He didn't include that part when she asked him earlier why he wanted to train so much. She realized that that was the reason why desperation for training was so apparent. He wanted her to stop worrying about her mother for just a short moment and appreciate life's joys again. Oujirou's cleverness always surprised her; this approach wasn't anticipated.

How nice of Mihara-san… she thought.

He checked his watch. "It's a school day tomorrow, Suzuhara-chan. We probably should get going. Can we do this again sometime next week?"

"Y-yeah, of course! Anything for Mihara-san!" said Misaki in an instant.

He then spoke to her softly with words barely audible. "I have this feeling that that's going to change soon."

"What's going to change soon?" she asked curiously, utterly clueless about what he was talking about. He shook his head, exchanging his sadness with a facade of happiness. He kindly offered to take her home but she turned it down, knowing he had to take the rather extended train ride home. Thus, they concluded the day with goodbyes. She waved at his disappearing figure and turned to head for her house as well. Glancing down, she realized that she had forgotten to show him the doll she had been making him. It was halfway done, and she had to admit, her fingers did some remarkable work! It was a doll of Wizard. That reminded her, that girl from earlier? Did she also possess a Wizard angelic doll duplicate?

She imagined a whole clutter of girls screaming with Wizard dolls-- battles of Wizard 57 vs. Wizard 91 in the layer field! That would be a bore! How would she distinguish the real one from the others? Was everyone making their dolls like hers, Oujirou's, or Shuuko's? Certainly there were other inspirational deus' players! Such thoughts carried her to a state of delirium, making her walk like a drunk man across an empty street.

"You'd better sober up before crossing the street," said a sharp voice from behind her. It was the voice of that aggravating girl she had encountered earlier.

Misaki was still in a daze. "Let's fight tomorrow. I'm kind of busy trying to go home."

The girl ran up before her and blocked her path, her blonde curls dangling from the rapid transition. "A bit close to Mihara-san, aren't we?" she inquired suspiciously. Upon hearing this, Misaki snapped out of her nightmare only to find herself in another one- but this time it was real.

"Do you have something against me?" asked Misaki defensively. She had done no harm to her yet the girl was clenching her fists with malicious intentions. The girl didn't answer.

"Soon, you'll come begging to me. Then I can manipulate you under my fingers," she cackled evilly. Misaki shuddered from the evil air that blasted through her. She then walked away in such a speed, that it seemed she vanished!

"Now I'm hallucinating?" asked Misaki to herself. She resumed the walk home, feeling more insecure than ever. She held Hikaru closer to her as she walked home alone that night.

Misaki got home a few minutes later, promptly taking off her shoes upon entering. "Okaa-san, I'm home!" Usually Misaki's return home was greeted by a warm 'welcome home' but today was different. This time, as she stepped lightly into her mother's room, she heard no response. Misaki entered her mother's room and found her body sprawled on the floor!

"Okaa-san!" she cried, rushing to her and pressing her fingers through the coldness of her mother's frame. Tears streamed her face, choking for breaths of air as she panicked. Finally finding a pulse, she immediately rushed to the phone for help.

The days following the depressing incident were especially difficult for Misaki, who was profoundly impacted by the collapse of her mother's health. Paranoia seized her and Icchan, and both remained beside her in the hospital. Misaki went to school and ran straight to the hospital. Icchan likewise made similar sacrifices in his job, choosing to be absent if need be. Who was enduring more pain, it was hard to determine. Oujirou also made several sole visits to Shuuko. Sometimes, she would wake, seeing his face buried in his hands.

"I don't suppose that they'll find a cure for me. I'm always so afraid to say that to Icchan-san and Misaki. But knowing you, you're very good at keeping secrets," Shuuko whispered softly. Oujirou didn't know how to respond to such painful statements. He merely looked at her, sadness seeping from his heart. She had never known that she was his first love, but it was unrequited love. Now he had fallen in love with Misaki, finding the same features he had loved from Shuuko in her daughter.

"Don't be afraid to admit things. She needs you at these times," she told him, alluding to his feelings for Misaki. Oujirou felt uncomfortable since they were talking about his love for the daughter of a woman he once loved.

"Hey. I think Icchan-san's favorite show is on!" she said excitedly, flipping the television on to watch the bathing suit competition while Oujirou sweatdrops.

Misaki sat down to hear Icchan's news, depression tugging the sides of her lips downward. Both of them had bags below their dead eyes and their shoulders slumped; both of them felt so weary that they looked like zombies in the room. Icchan stretched his hand forward stiffly, rummaging for something on his desk. "I've found a possible panacea to Shuuko's disease. It's a clandestine company that boasts medication for any type of disease. However, they are tough negotiators, from what I've heard."

"Sounds suspicious. How should we know if this secret company should be trusted?" asked Misaki's monotonous voice.

"They've conducted successful experiments with their medicine. I don't know if that counts," he replied. "Amazingly, the head of the company is… a kid. I heard she's really brilliant though. Her I.Q. surpasses…well, let's just say it's really up there. A young famed scientist," he remarked, grinning.

Misaki squinted her eyes at the picture that he held before her eyes, and widened in shock. She gasped instantly at the person in the picture. "T-tough negotiator indeed…"

It must so painfully slow, huh? But, yeah you can probably guess who's in the picture. Reviews are valued and carefully devoured so please review! I'm working on a fic pairing Hikaru and Wizard, inspired by Kaji Hikage. ^_^ BTW, read his AL fic! It's really really good!!!

Next chapter: What's this? Misaki would do "anything" for the cure? And what's that girl doing with Oujirou?? Hmm…wait a minute! oi! Icchan-- you're a bit too close to Shuuko's face aren't you? 


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